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Zebra Sharks
History Founded in 3058 and originally employed by the Draconis Combine, the Zebra Sharks were nearly the victims of a 'company store' gambit. Recognizing this, they attempted to negotiate their way out of the existing contract. When Combine officials refused, the Zebra Sharks attempted to flee-directly into the path of Ghost Bear Dominion forces invading Combine space, with angry DCMS forces right on their heels. Zebra Shark officers managed to contact the Dominion, and were offered supplies after their story was heard. The mercenaries continued to fight alongside Clan forces in the invasion of several worlds. After the Ghost Bear-Combine ceasefire, they disappeared, but reports of zebra-striped combat vehicles have popped up occasionally, commonly with advanced Clan technologies retained from their crusade against the Combine. Motto:'Nex Superne' -Death From Above Officers Zebra Shark personnel were drawn from many sources,ranging from Rasalhague and Federated Suns combat veterans, to bandits and outcasts from all over the Inner Sphere. Officers, typically former high-ranking military personnel, typically have little actual command authority, this given either to higher-ranking personnel or the current employer. Currently, James Viltry and Yeldarb Van Voytz are the Sharks' commanders, each leading a separate half. Viltry, a Federated Suns Aerospace fighter pilot who resigned after his squadron was deactivated, was the original founder of the group. Van Voytz, a former Lyran general who was discharged for disagreeing with established military philosophies, helped pioneer the Zebra Sharks' unconventional air assault tactics. Tactics Concentrating on conventional and airborne warfare, the Zebra Sharks have little love for 'Mechs and their pilots, believing them to be stuck-up and overly focused on their egos. As such, only a relative handful of 'Mechs are actually employed, and their crews are cross-trained as infantry or aircrew, hopefully giving MechWarriors respect for 'the little guy'. Instead, VTOL and fighter crew are seen as more honorable, relying on their skill and tactics more so than the MechWarrior dependence on forty-foot metal monsters. In battle, the Zebra Sharks field a high proportion of VTOLs, affording maneuverability and speed far greater than that of any armored force, and nearly all 'Mech-based forces. The VTOLs, ranging from modern Michaelson Hawk Moths and captured Word of Blake Pinto aircraft to Garrot transports and Anaconda assault machines, provide support for conventional infantry and a sizable force of Battle Armored infantry. 'Mechs are few and far between, but are typically organized into Elements of four machines, typically Marauders,Fafnirs, or Vikings. As a whole, the Zebra Sharks use their small force of 'Mechs to disable hostile anti-aircraft installations and the odd enemy 'Mech, allowing VTOLs to close with the enemy and attack armored vehicles or drop off Battle Armor, varying based on their configuration. AeroSpace assets provide heavy point firepower, and act as the primary 'Mech-busting force. The final assault phase employs the infantry and Battle Armor to flush out hostiles from various locations, and secure mission objectives. Composition Although the group is small enough that it rarely operates in more than two locations at once, the Zebra Sharks, at Van Voytz' urging, were rigidly divided into two 'Spears', each with its own Eagle frigate and DropShip assets, further divided into two Pikes of four Elements, each comprised of either four 'Mechs, eight VTOLs,one hundred conventional infantry,twenty Battle Armored infantry, eight vehicles, or eight fighters. Spear 'Ault' focuses on aerospace and VTOL warfare, while 'Bet' operates with more traditional assets including heavy tanks and Battle Armor, although these are deployed from DropShips or whatever else is available. Clan Tech: During their fight alongside the Ghost Bear Dominion, the Zebra Sharks were gifted with a number of Clan-tech items, including a Star of Black Lanner OmniMechs and half an Element of Sulla OmniFighters. CURRENT COMPOSITION -ZEBRA SHARKS UNIFIED COMMAND 'UNICOM' -ZEBRA SHARKS NAVAL SUPPORT FLEET -DROPSHIP PIKE 'HUNTRESS' -ZDS Brigand Buccaneer-class DropShip -SMALL CRAFT PIKE 'AQUILA' -SPEAR 'AULT' -PIKE 'ALFA' -ELEM. 'ALFA-1'-VTOL, Mixed -ELEM. 'ALFA-2'-Infantry, Jump -ELEM. 'ALFA-3'-Mech, Medium -ELEM. 'ALFA-4'-Aerospace, Medium -PIKE 'BRAVO' -ELEM. 'BRAVO-1'-Tank, Heavy -ELEM. 'BRAVO-2'-Aerospace, Heavy -ELEM. 'BRAVO-3'-VTOL, Assault -ELEM. 'BRAVO-4'-Battle Armor -SPEAR 'BET' -PIKE 'CHARLIE' -ELEM. 'CHARLIE-1'-VTOL, Assault -ELEM. 'CHARLIE-2'-Infantry, Jump -ELEM. 'CHARLIE-3'-Mech, Heavy -ELEM. 'CHARLIE-4'-Aerospace, Mixed -PIKE 'DELTA' -ELEM. 'DELTA-1'-Battle Armor -ELEM. 'DELTA-2'-Tank, Heavy -ELEM. 'DELTA-3'-Tank, Heavy -ELEM. 'DELTA-4'-VTOL, Assault HARDWARE USED: *Warthog *Sulla *Riever *Cavalier *Viking *Black Lanner *Marauder *Hawk Moth *Spooky *Hercules (Combat Vehicle) *Pinto *Abrams *SturmFeur *Buccaneer *Tarawa *Aquarius Color Schemes and Uniforms Infantry wear black uniforms with slate-blue armor. Battle armor is painted slate blue with grey highlights. Aerospace, Combat Vehicle and 'Mech assets from Ault Spear are painted grey with slate-blue and charcoal disruption camouflage patterns. The nose area is typically painted black with unit side-numbers and information, as well as a shark's mouth if the unit has scored at least one confirmed kill of any type. Bet Spear hardware is normally painted charcoal grey with white camouflage. It disposes with the black nose in favor of red stripes running vertically across the forward section of the vehicle. Both Spears hardware sports a zebra-striped segment down the tail of their vehicles. As befits their elite status, units of each Spear's command staff wear unique color schemes. Ault Spear's commander, James Viltry, flies a Warthog fighter with its left side painted in the standard Ault paint scheme, and the right side fully painted in zebra stripes. Van Voytz' personal 'Mech, a Viking, is painted in a solid red scheme with its LRM pods in Bet camouflage. Notes References Category:MercenaryCommandsCustom